Democrats caving on Keystone?

posted at 11:01 am on April 20, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Republicans have held two important votes on the Keystone XL pipeline this year, forcing Barack Obama and Democrats to take positions opposed to its construction. As the elections approach and gas prices keep rising, though, fewer Democrats seem ready to go on record to back Obama. The most recent vote produced a veto-proof majority in the House in favor of approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, and Byron York writes that the opposition in the Senate might be weakening as well:

When the House voted on the pipeline in July of last year, 47 Democrats broke with the president. Now that it’s an election year and the number is up to 69, look for Republicans to hold more pipeline votes before November. GOP leaders expect even more Democrats to join them.

Then there is the Senate. Democrats are using the filibuster to stop the pipeline, which means 60 votes are required to pass it. (Some Democrats who bitterly opposed the filibuster when Republicans used it against Obama initiatives are notably silent these days.) In a vote last month, 11 Senate Democrats stood up against Obama to vote in favor of the pipeline. Add those 11 to the Republicans’ 47 votes, and the pro-pipeline forces are just a couple of votes away from breaking Harry Reid’s filibuster.

“We’re right around the corner from actually passing it,” says a well-informed Senate source. “Two-hundred-ninety-three votes in the House is a gigantic number. People want this thing.”

The president didn’t help his cause when he staged an odd photo-op last month, delivering a speech in Cushing, Oklahoma in front of huge stockpiles of pipes. Obama sang the praises of pipelines — “It is critical that we make pipeline infrastructure a top priority,” he said — and made a big deal of his approval of a section of domestic pipeline that didn’t need his approval. But he remained unyielding on Keystone.

In the latest House vote, the pipeline measure is attached to a larger transportation bill. That now goes to a conference with the Senate, which has passed a version of the transportation measure without the Keystone provision. It’s not clear whether the pipeline will end up in the final bill. But it is certain that, whatever happens, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will force another vote on Keystone sometime.

The photo-op wasn’t really all that odd. Obama wants to eat his cake and have it, too, by blocking construction while praising the pipeline. He can’t afford to be seen as too hostile to domestic refining of Canada-produced crude, which is why he has rested his objections on the route taken by the pipeline rather than the pipeline itself. That dodge won’t last much longer, though; the company has submitted permit requests for a new route, and the erosion of opposition in his own party will eventually make this an untenable position for Obama, and he knows it. Expect him to pounce on the new route application as a catalyst for preliminary approval — and then to stall the final approvals needed within the bureaucracy, where he can act without too much observation.

That’s not the only wave of disapproval coming from his fellow Democrats these days, either. The Hill reports that recent remarks by Barney Frank on ObamaCare has opened the floodgates of criticism … just as constituents start paying attention to the upcoming election:

An increasing number of Democrats are taking potshots at President Obama’s healthcare law ahead of a Supreme Court decision that could overturn it.

The public grievances have come from centrists and liberals and reflect rising anxiety ahead of November’s elections.

Ya think? Democrats tried running on the “ObamaCare is a great idea” platform in 2010, and look how well that turned out for them. Democrats in Congress — well, those still in Congress — aren’t about to defend the tremendously unpopular legislation again. You’ll hear arguments like the one from Dennis Cardoza, who claims to have tried to stop it:

Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) also criticized his party’s handling of the issue, and said he repeatedly called on his leaders to figure out how they were going to pay for the bill, and then figure out what they could afford.

Cardoza, who like Miller will retire at the end of the Congress, said he thought the bill should have been done “in digestible pieces that the American public could understand and that we could implement.”

Unfortunately for Obama, that will result in something of a mixed message in the fall. Obama has to defend ObamaCare in this election; other than Dodd-Frank and the Lily Ledbetter Act, it’s his only real legislative accomplishment. He’s not going to spend his time talking about the success of “shovel-ready” projects, after all. If he’s talking about how terrific ObamaCare is while his fellow Democrats in the House and Senate campaign on what a screw-up it is, that’s not going to help any Democrats in this cycle.

Right now, though, it looks like Democrats on Capitol Hill aren’t concerned about loyalty to a sinking Obama. It’s every politician for him/herself.

Blowback

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Every demorat pol in America knows that the gas price question is only going to get louder, and you can bet your socks Romney will be talking energy, energy, energy until November. What’s PBHO going to say in return, “I wasted billions of your tax dollars funding a bunch of half-baked solar plants which all went out of business”?

This sure looks like an administration that is about to implode. You know there are other shoes to drop in the GSA case, Fast and Furious, and wasted green energy money. I believe he has too much pride to back off this now and it will hurt him badly to veto the pipeline again.

Right now, though, it looks like Democrats on Capitol Hill aren’t concerned about loyalty to a sinking Obama. It’s every politician for him/herself.

When the rats start leaving, better look for leaks below the waterline. This ship is sinking, the captain is going down with the ship. Speaking of which, this was one of the better vids on the OIW web-site, imho.

And the Golden Rule of Politics prevails… “If you arent in power, you have no power”

The internals do not look good for Dems across the country – at every level of government. And guess what this translates to… their people not supporting up the chain.

See, when you are in a a fight for political survival – you dont have the time, money or resources to play the pander game via ideological perceptions. You are concerned with your race only – the equity behind 2008′s “I hate Bush + First Black President” is in the red.

Americans vote for Republicans when its time to make money, Dems when its time to spend money.

Dem’s know there is nothing left to spend, so they will pivot to a middle/right economic narrative – regardless of the years, hours and voting records in between.

So as each bogus, unscientific poll gets released, dont pay attention. Do pay attention to what the people in power are doing… and are not doing; namely Dems.

The president didn’t help his cause when he staged an odd photo-op last month, delivering a speech in Cushing, Oklahoma in front of huge stockpiles of pipes.

Potemkin pipeline.

The shiite is really going to hit the fan this summer, when gas prices top $4, and when the rolling brownouts start and people can’t run their AC because of all the coal-fired electric plants that have been shut down by 0′s EPA.

Obama’s opposition to the pipeline will solidify if he is reelected. I am puzzled by writers who say he is opposing it now only to pacify his base and will approve it after the election. Obama hates America and is out to destroy it as well as America’s relationships with its once best allies. Preventing the pipeline fits nicely into his strategy and world view.

This sure looks like an administration that is about to implode. You know there are other shoes to drop in the GSA case, Fast and Furious, and wasted green energy money. I believe he has too much pride to back off this now and it will hurt him badly to veto the pipeline again.

MJZZZ on April 20, 2012 at 11:12 AM

yeah to bad the press will be working OT to cover and not report as much as possible ….

Wait, so if they allow the pipeline to go through will it also pass the IRS confiscation of our passports and mandatory black boxes in our cars? I called my reps yesterday to tell them to oppose those two measures. Oil from Canada is not worth giving congress the ability to tax me for my mileage. I travel to and from California a few times a year, not to mention I tour with my band. A mileage tax would put a stop to all that.

Right now, though, it looks like Democrats on Capitol Hill aren’t concerned about loyalty to a sinking Obama. It’s every politician for him/herself.

My view, that the closer November gets, and the more obvious the fact Obama will loose, and loose huge.. The rats jumping ship will reach the pace of a stampede. Dirty secrets and nasty details will start coming out as dems try to buy absolution from the voters by acting like they suddenly are on the publics side..

It’ll become an ever widening cascade..

Obama by the end will be standing alone.. and just like you can’t find anyone who admits voting for Carter..

Maybe Barky O’Dogeater should focus on his other great achievements like the burgeoning green power industrythe Chicago Olympicsthe success of GMthe the creation of a post-racial Americathe strengthening of our bonds with longtime allies like Poland, Britain, Honduras and Israelthe booming economic recoveryaffordable gas pricesthe elimination of waste and fraud in federal spendingthe creation of a new era of civility in politics

A really smart guy would be jumping for joy and touting on every TV station in the country about the number of jobs and revenue this project would bring.We get double down stupid to appease a few enviros.

The Ltyin rats up for re-election will get all conservative from now till November.
They hold no allegience to the Lyin kING Hussein, Dog Connoisseur!
He threw them under the bus in 2010, he is keeping the campaign cash in 2012.
The lyin socialists will get all conservative in hopes they can dupe enough of the sheeple into trusting them and continueing their gravy train by electing them again.
Dog Connoisseur is on his own its every rat for themself!

Obama’s Party is going to throw him overboard the closer to November. They do not want to go down with him.

Conservative4ev on April 20, 2012 at 11:04 AM

He steered the ship into a field of ice at full speed. After crashing the ship into a number of large icebergs, the ship started taking on water, sinking by the bow.

For a while the dems laughed and used bits of the iceberg laying on deck in their drinks. Now they’re scrambling for the rails, but there are too few lifeboats. Zero leaves the wheelhouse and yells at them, “Hey! we’re fine! Go on back to the party! You know this ship can’t sink!”

The dems fearfully observe dark waves swallowing the bow, and the stern begins to lift from the water.

Keep pushing this, Repubs. We need him to veto it or cave spectacularly (win-win)! No way the LSM can keep that off the news. At this point, if he tries to flip-flop and take credit for it, even the uninformed will see through it.

If you doubt that this is the Democrats’ strategy, check out their new bumper sticker. This is an official product from Democrats.org, plugged in an email this morning by the Communications Director of the Democratic National Committee:

The dems in congress have admitted they made a big mistake supporting Zero in the past. These public pronouncements are hopefully their way of preparing the dem voters. I think they realize Zero’s coattails are made of lead.

He steered the ship into a field of ice at full speed. After crashing the ship into a number of large icebergs, the ship started taking on water, sinking by the bow.

For a while the dems laughed and used bits of the iceberg laying on deck in their drinks. Now they’re scrambling for the rails, but there are too few lifeboats. Zero leaves the wheelhouse and yells at them, “Hey! we’re fine! Go on back to the party! You know this ship can’t sink!”

The dems fearfully observe dark waves swallowing the bow, and the stern begins to lift from the water.

The Republican House of Representatives may soon follow the Democratic Senate and give the IRS the power to confiscate your passport on mere suspicion of owing taxes. There’s no place like home, comrade.

‘America, Love It Or Leave It” might be an obsolete slogan if the “bipartisan transportation bill” that just passed the Senate is approved by the House and becomes law. Contained within the suspiciously titled “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act,” or “MAP 21,” is a provision that gives the Internal Revenue Service the power to keep U.S. citizens from leaving the country if it finds that they owe $50,000 or more in unpaid taxes — no court ruling necessary.

So maybe we should hope for an Obama veto to get rid of this provision? If the Republicans did not remove this in the House bill what were they thinking?

Democrats in Congress — well, those still in Congress — aren’t about to defend the tremendously unpopular legislation again. You’ll hear arguments like the one from Dennis Cardoza, who claims to have tried to stop it:

Cardoza is retiring. So is Frank. So is Webb. Miller is out, too. Only Liz Warren, running for Scott Brown’s seat, has been trashing O-Care as a campaign strategy. She’s doing it because Brown was elected because of his opposition to the bill.

This distinction is important, and no-one is addressing it in more than a cursory manner. Why is the abandon ship crowd going after Obamacare? Is it that they are no longer afraid of the administration? Nothing to lose? Bitter and angry at careers cut short?

I think the word is getting out that the mandate is bye-bye, with the rest of the bill left standing. The Democrats are going to have a very tough time with that particular mess. I don’t think anyone in office and running for reelection will have the balls to run against Obamacare. Aspects of it are still popular; it makes more sense to wait out the election and see who has the majority when the dust settles. If the Republicans win, the Democrats can sit back and let them take the heat for gutting the rest of the bill, or repealing it. If the Democrats hold on, they’ll have to play a more nuanced game. God knows they are not very good at it. We’ll see.

The photo-op wasn’t really all that odd. Obama wants to eat his cake and have it, too, by blocking construction while praising the pipeline. He can’t afford to be seen as too hostile to domestic refining of Canada-produced crude, which is why he has rested his objections on the route taken by the pipeline rather than the pipeline itself. That dodge won’t last much longer, though; the company has submitted permit requests for a new route, and the erosion of opposition in his own party will eventually make this an untenable position for Obama, and he knows it.

According to the Byron York article cited by Ed, the Nebraska State Legislature and Governor have approved a new route that avoids the environmentally-sensitive areas, so that Obama can no longer claim that the Republican Governor of NE supports his position.

Also, the Democrat Governor of Montana has come out in favor of the project (the pipeline would pass through eastern Montana and create lots of jobs in his state), which would probably put a lot of pressure on Montana’s Democrat Senators (Baucus and Tester) to vote in favor of it.

McConnell and the Republicans in the Senate need to insist that the House transportation bill (with the pipeline in it) be passed AS IS, so that Democrats are ON RECORD as to whether they support or oppose the pipeline. If the pipeline does get 60 votes in the Senate, it would be political suicide for Obama to veto it, since voters would then blame Obama, not Senate Democrats.

If the bill passes the Senate, Obama might find some wiggle room in signing it, then claiming that it was his opposition that forced the pipeline company to avoid the environmentally-sensitive areas. That might be a tough needle to thread, but a decision to build the pipeline might induce oil-futures traders to bid down oil prices enough so that gasoline prices decrease before the election.

Comrade Barry has outlived his usefulness to the democrat party. They will toss him under his own bus.

joe btfsplk on April 20, 2012 at 11:24 AM

Yep.

Democrats eat their own at the first sign of political weakness. Power and control of the government is the only thing they are about. As in, getting the “Torch” to quit his Senate race in New Jersey (despite it being too late and illegal to replace him on the ballot they did anyway), getting Andrew Cuomo to quit the New York governor’s race years back, etc. Democrats will behead their own people if they think they are going to cause them to lose power.

This Keystone vote is the first sign that the DEMOCRATS are starting to regard Obama as a “dead dog” and are preparing to eat him.

My view, that the closer November gets, and the more obvious the fact Obama will loose, and loose huge.. The rats jumping ship will reach the pace of a stampede. Dirty secrets and nasty details will start coming out as dems try to buy absolution from the voters by acting like they suddenly are on the publics side..

It’ll become an ever widening cascade..

Obama by the end will be standing alone.. and just like you can’t find anyone who admits voting for Carter..

You’ll be hard pressed to find a die hard Obama manic.

That was my prediction, in writing, in late October 2008, when it was clear he was going to win. Only difference is, it won’t take til November. It will be this Summer.

As for the Canadian Prime Minister, is he in control of private industry in Canada? That crude would be coming from private companies, and the TYPE of crude from Canada is best suited for several refineries in TX and LA which is where Keystone XL terminates, near the border at Nederland, TX (NOT HOUSTON, NEWTRON). China does not own such refineries, but could build the additional process units, at considerable cost, if necessary. Additionally, price per bbl delivered would reflect cost of pipeline transport OVER THE ROCKIES, as well as cost for ocean freight of tankers (VLCC’s but no ULCC’s)

I can name the approximately dozen refineries best suited if you like.

What do we expect…they need to distance themselves from the loser that they have as the head of their party…they want to hang onto those precious jobs that they feel entitled to….my only wish is that obama would distance himself from this country and resign….hey barrack, save yourself the embarassment, leave now…the people will speak in November

Heres the thing: A Chicago knife fighter like Obama is loyal to money power and violence first last and only.

Obama came to office with a longstanding and deep seated resentment to this country, its political system and the people who inhabit it. This includes Demo members of Congress.

He has not shown them any loyalty, and frankly I doubt he expects any loyalty from them because of that. He may desire it, and feel entitled to it because he is a Lightworker who is “kind of like God”, but as a practical matter he doesnt expect it.

Right now, though, it looks like Democrats on Capitol Hill aren’t concerned about loyalty to a sinking Obama.

I don’t buy it.
They are not “caving”…they are defusing a potential electoral time bomb. Democratic support for Keystone will provide cover and an appearance of compromise, which they will use to their rhetorical advantage to bolster themselves and, by association, Obama.

It’s true that the rats are running down the ropes trying to save themselves. I also think the powers that be in the Democratic Party realize the only way they’re going to save their party for future generations is to jettison Barack Obama and his Chicago Alinskyites forthwith. They may be venal SOBs, but they are pragmatic in the long run.